NORTHBROOK -- Astellas Pharma U.S. said its new headquarters for the Americas in Northbrook has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is one of the primary rating systems for the design, construction and operation of energy-efficient buildings. A Gold certification is achieved by buildings that are designed and constructed with sustainable concepts and practices that substantially reduce the building's impact on the environment as compared to other, similar facilities.

"This honor further demonstrates our commitment to the environment, the local community, and as an employer of choice to our employees," said Collette Taylor, Astellas senior vice president human resources & corporate administration and headquarters project manager. "With energy costs and carbon emissions on the rise, we're thrilled that we invested in green building at our new facility."

The Northbrook complex, at the northwest corner of I-294 and Willow Road, obtained LEED Gold certification for its environmentally-conscious construction, including:

• Hybrid geothermal field, which uses the earth as a heat source in the winter or heat sink in the summer, to reduce energy costs more than 20 percent

• Use of more than 77 percent of wood from managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council

• Use of 35 percent recycled materials, use of 45 percent locally-manufactured materials and the recycling of more than 85 percent of waste during construction

• Improved indoor air quality with building flush-out using outdoor air to remove the majority of pollutant emissions

• Providing outdoor air more than 30 percent above the mandated standard

• Use of high-efficiency heat and air-conditioning equipment and plumbing fixtures to reduce water consumption

• Indoor secured bicycle storage and showering facilities

• More than 70 percent of the facility's parking under cover to reduce heat island

• Landscape irrigation from retained stormwater

"Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "Astellas' new headquarters for the Americas efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come."

Astellas partnered with MB Real Estate to manage the development of the buildings and site with GlenStar Properties, LLC. MB Real Estate contracted the services of HJKessler Associates, a green building and LEED consultant, and worked closely with the USGBC and the EPA to ensure the proper implementation of sustainable building design and practices. The new headquarters was designed by world-renowned architect, Goettsch Partners, the interior architect was SmithGroup, and it was built by Power Construction.

Opened in June 2012, the complex accommodates more than 1,000 employees, with ample space to build a future third building to accommodate the company's projected growth. The complex includes two six-story buildings totaling 425,000 square feet and cost approximately $150 million to build.

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